Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and system for content distribution. Embodiments of the invention relate in particular to the digital distribution of news content under dynamic editorial control.
Description of the Prior Art
The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
In print media, news content is prepared for publication by journalists, reporters, editors etc. then assembled into a published news publication (a daily newspaper, or a magazine for example). Exercising control over the placement, timing, news content, writing style and tone, political bias, etc. is the role of one or more content editors.
The rapid adoption of digital media alongside or in place of print media has created ever more potential content (and indeed sources of content) from which content editors are asked to select suitable articles for their readers. Sources of content may include anything from an established news agency delivering news reports for syndication to a citizen journalist updating his weblog (also known as a “blog”). The forms of digital media have also proliferated: content may be published as a news feed (using technology such as RSS or Atom), as an article on a web page or a blog, as “short form” messages on social networking websites (such as “tweets” on Twitter [RTM] or “status” updates on Facebook [RTM]).
In a typical digital media scenario, a reader subscribes to a web-based news publishing service. Using a username and password to authenticate access, the reader then uses a web interface, such as an internet browser application or a dedicated application (such as an “app” for a touchscreen tablet device or mobile phone), to view and/or interact with the output of the publishing service. The web interface delivers news articles, marketing promotions, etc. in accordance with search terms entered by the user or optionally articles selected by virtue of their novelty and/or their relevance to a known attribute of the subscriber.
Examples of attributes of the subscriber include a “history” of most recently requested content, a record of content for which the user actively expressed a preference (for example giving a percentage or star rating or “liking” the content), and their current or registered location. Location may for example be determined by the billing address for the subscription, a location provided by the user in response to a query, a location calculated from a satellite location system reading (e.g. GPS, Galileo, etc), or the current location inferred from the access point from the user device to the internet (i.e. WiFi access point IP address, a cell ID in a cellular radio access network).
The automated selection of new articles is crude at best, since attributes such as usage history and location are given undue prominence over factors which may be more important to the reader (such as an expectation of a literary tone or style, a degree of quality or reporting reliability).
A more sophisticated method for distributing content to a plurality of subscribers which balances delivery of relevant information with the provision of content with a characteristic slant is therefore desirable.